New Veterans Monument

Jewel Wilson and her granddaughters look at a new veterans monument placed Tuesday morning on the northwest corner of the downtown McLeansboro square; Jewel is the wife of veteran Bob Wilson. Workers from J.W. Reynolds Monument Co. placed the new monument, donated by the Hamilton County Veterans of Foreign Wars post to honor all U.S. veterans from all wars. The monument cost $15,000, and the VFW also donated $500 to the local Beautification Task Force to help maintain and place flowers or shrubs around the monument. A ceremony was scheduled Wednesday morning — Veterans Day — to formally unveil the monument and replace the current U.S. flag. The installation of a sidewalk behind the new monument and concrete beneath the current benches in front of the other monument is planned.